You are given the following information:

(a) A programme of air pollution control would reduce deaths from cancer from 1 in 8000 to 1 in 10 000 of the population.

(b) The cost of the programme is expected to lie in the interval £2 billion (£2000 million)

to £3 billion annually.

(c) The size of the relevant population is 50 million persons.

(d) The ‘statistical value’ of a human life is agreed to lie in the interval £300 000 to

£5 million.

If the only benefit from the programme is the reduced risk of death from cancer, can the adoption of the programme be justified using an economic efficiency criterion?